Chapter 87: Guiding Qi

Only above golden bones can one guide qi; guide the dragon and you gain the dragon, guide the phoenix and you gain the phoenix—endless transformation, hundred meridians reshaped, true qi thus formed.

This Guide to Guiding Qi is the foundation of Willow Sinew; it concerns true qi—handle it with utmost caution.

Ge Hong listed them off like counting household treasures.

Li Rui’s eyes lit up.

Found the right person, indeed.

What’s learned from books is too mechanical; it needs reflection through a living master. Among those I know, Ge Hong once ran the Iron Knife Martial Hall—he must have studied these theories thoroughly, far more systematically than Zhang Yang and the others.

Ge Hong continued:

“Martial training requires qi training; without it, all effort is in vain.”

“Human strength has limits, but qi is boundless. It is said our Yu Kingdom’s Sword Saint once breathed a single true qi for eighty thousand li, capable of toppling mountains and reversing seas—truly enviable.”

“Qi arises in the meridians; daily guidance is needed to gather and shape it.”

“But—”

He shifted tone: “Brother Li, you’ve only just entered Bronze Bone realm—you should still focus on refining your body. Otherwise, your foundation won’t hold, and you won’t advance further.”

The word “advance” was left unsaid.

Ge Hong shook his head and chuckled to himself.

Li Rui was seventy years old—what use was a foundation? Did he expect to become a Martial Saint?

He guessed why Li Rui cared so much about the Guide to Guiding Qi.

Nothing else.

As long as one passes Willow Sinew, lifespan increases by thirty years.

Studying the Guide to Guiding Qi carries a chance of sudden enlightenment to true qi; if one awakens true qi at Eighth Rank, the likelihood of entering Seventh Rank rises dramatically.

For someone like Li Rui, nearing death, the temptation was lethal.

But—did he truly think awakening true qi was easier than reaching Seventh Rank?

He didn’t believe Li Rui could do it.

In martial circles, Willow Sinew has another name: The Retention Realm.

With bitter endurance and spirit pills, one might barely reach the Eighth Rank, but beyond that, mere endurance won’t suffice.

Of those who reach Eighth Rank, fewer than one in ten enter Willow Sinew; of those in Willow Sinew, fewer than one in twenty awaken true qi.

The difficulty was plain to see.

“If Brother Li wants to try, go ahead—it’s said the Huaqing Sect once had a prodigy who awakened a thread of true qi at Eighth Rank, a monster among monsters.”

“True qi…”

Li Rui would never tell Ge Hong.

He had already awakened true qi.

“Qi arises in the meridians; a good Guide to Guiding Qi can reshape them, thereby influencing the quality of true qi—so choosing the right one is critical, and it must match your own nature.”

“My sect passed down one scroll, perfectly suited to my Willow Leaf Knife. Though I’ve never reached Seventh Rank, daily contemplation has granted me insight.”

At this, Ge Hong’s lips curled in quiet pride.

“Just passing time, really. If I reached my master’s level, I could gather qi into a blade within my dantian—my killing power would surge.”

Li Rui had heard.

Ge Hong’s master was the former head of the Iron Knife Martial Hall, one of the few Seventh Rank experts in Qinghe, who had dominated the Qinghe martial world for a full decade.

His name was thunderous.

All thanks to his blade qi.

“It is said some have guided qi into dragon form—body like a dragon, impervious to blades and spears, immune to fire and water.”

“Others shaped qi like rivers and streams, awakening River-Stream Sword Qi, mastering the Great River Sword Intent, unmatched under heaven.”

As he spoke,

Ge Hong’s eyes grew distant, lost in reverie.

Li Rui frowned: “How does one determine which Guide to Guiding Qi suits them?”

Ge Hong: “Dreams.”

“.”

Perhaps realizing his phrasing was ambiguous, he added: “Constant thought invites response. If something matches your nature, it will appear in dreams—but most miss it, losing the opportunity.”

“Still, choosing based on personal preference is usually enough. To find the perfect match, you’d need a Qi-Reading Seer—but such people don’t exist in this backwater of Qinghe.”

Li Rui pondered silently.

He knew a Guide to Guiding Qi.

There was one on the third floor of Tianyi Hall.

Just one.

And its rank was low.

To find more, better ones, he’d have to go to the main headquarters. The Guide to Guiding Qi sounds mystical, but it’s merely an advanced breathing method. Guiding qi is extremely dangerous—slight misstep leads to qi deviation. Each scroll was forged by countless ancestors’ lives—naturally precious.

He was already at Eighth Rank’s peak and had awakened true qi—he must now focus on the Guide to Guiding Qi.

Now he had a clearer understanding.

His choice of Guide to Guiding Qi had direction.

Dragon form.

Ancient texts record that jade bones have a chance to transform sinews and bones into dragon form—exceptionally rare—but require a dragon-form Guide to Guiding Qi to guide it.

But dragon-form methods are mostly precious.

“Must find another way.”

As Li Rui pondered, Ge Hong spoke again: “It is said some in this world can embody two forms at once.”

“Two forms?!”

Li Rui’s pupils widened.

That meant one person possessed two distinct true qis—benefits obvious.

=9+Book_8

Ge Hong nodded: “Yes—but you need a Spirit Catalyst. Legend says it’s a celestial artifact fallen to mortal realm, refined by alchemical masters—rare beyond reach. We common mortals shouldn’t even dream of it.”

He gave a self-deprecating smile.

Li Rui rubbed his chin: “If one can open a second form, why not a third? Or even… a hundred? Ten thousand?”

Ge Hong’s pupils shrank sharply—he blurted out:

“Absurd.”

How could such a person exist?

But then he paused, smiled bitterly: “Theoretically possible. Practically, nonexistent.”

Li Rui: “Just speculation.”

The two exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

Ge Hong, a true martial fanatic, chatted with Li Rui long into the night.

He gained much.

Li Rui declined the invitation to share a bed, and left decisively under cover of night.

Though he’d lived in this world for fifty years, he still found this male-male culture alien.

Stepping outside,

Autumn wind swept in, chilling him.

He boarded the carriage waiting at the gate; as soon as he entered, warmth flooded his body.

“At least I’ve become a master now.”

Night.

Qinghe Branch of the Heaven-Earth Alliance, shadowed alley across the street.

A gaunt, pale-faced man merged perfectly with the darkness.

If a night watchman saw him, he’d scream “Oh my!” and think he’d encountered a ghost.

Green Snake Spear, Gong Yanghan.

“Heaven-Earth Alliance.”

Gong Yanghan stared coldly at the gates of the Qinghe Branch of the Heaven-Earth Alliance.

After weeks of investigation, his junior sister Su Xuan had returned alone to Qinghe after parting from Hu Yanzhao.

Entered the Heaven-Earth Alliance.

And vanished without a trace.

“She’s probably dead inside.”

Gong Yanghan’s face was icy.

Not because he mourned his sister’s death—Su Xuan carried something the Ten Thousand Ghost Mother demanded. If he failed to retrieve it, the Ten Thousand Ghost Mother’s punishment would make death seem merciful.

Death denied.

“Tang Sheng?”

“Or one of the others?”

Su Xuan wasn’t Seventh Rank, but she was Eighth Rank—and her disguise arts made her exceptionally hard to kill.

Only Tang Sheng, Dao Xiong, and a few deputy branch leaders in the Qinghe Branch had the power to kill her.

Tang Sheng is the prime suspect, but he has some ability.

A flash of cold light passed through his eyes.

But if you take something from your mother, you must return it!

(End of chapter)